Javier Báez delivered his biggest game in a Tigers uniform when it mattered most.
With Detroit’s season hanging in the balance, Báez drove in four runs — including a go-ahead RBI single and a two-run homer, as the Tigers stormed back to beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 on Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5 in the American League Division Series.
The victory sets up a marquee rematch Friday, when Tarik Skubal will take the mound for the second consecutive postseason in a decisive Game 5. Seattle will either have Luis Castillo or George Kirby, both on regular rest.
For much of the early afternoon, it didn’t look promising. Bryce Miller held Detroit to just one hit through four innings while Seattle built a 3-0 lead. Then, in the fifth, everything changed. Dillon Dingler’s RBI double finally broke through, and pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones followed with another double to make it 3-2.
That set the stage for Báez, who lined an RBI single to left field to tie the game. The veteran shortstop, long known for his flair in big moments, added a stolen base moments later and his intensity seemed to lift the entire dugout.
An inning later, after Riley Greene crushed a 454-foot home run to right-center to give the Tigers their first lead, Báez blew the game open with a two-run shot to left off Eduard Bazardo. The swing sent Comerica Park into a frenzy, punctuating a four-run sixth inning that turned the game around.
Báez capped his day with a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the eighth, giving him four RBIs — his most in a postseason game since 2017. He also flashed his glove, starting a 6-4-3 double play in the fourth that stopped a Mariners rally.
The Tigers’ offense, long criticized for its reliance on power swings, finally broke through by embracing that identity. Greene, Báez, and Gleyber Torres each homered, while Zach McKinstry and Dingler added doubles in a 13-hit outburst. Detroit didn’t rely on bunts or small ball (thankfully) they simply overpowered Seattle’s pitching and for the first time in the post-season, looked like the team from the first half of the season.
Casey Mize opened with two solid innings before the bullpen carried the load. Tyler Holton and Kyle Finnegan held the line, Troy Melton tossed two scoreless frames to earn the win, and Will Vest closed the door in the ninth by striking out Randy Arozarena.
After the game, Greene summed up the Tigers’ mindset heading into Friday’s decisive matchup.
“We believe,” said Greene. “We’re never out of the game no matter what, and we always believe in ourselves.”
For Detroit, that belief — and Báez’s resurgence — kept their season alive. Now, with Skubal on deck and momentum finally on their side, the Tigers have a chance to finish what they started.